Apparatus for providing vents in cigarettes and the like



April 29, 1958 A. P. MILLER APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING VENTS m CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 16. 1956 FIG.2.

INVENTOR. ANTHONY F! MILLER ATTO R N EY$ United States Patent APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING VENTS IN CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Anthony P. Miller, Atlantic City, N. J.

Application February 16, 1956, Serial No. 566,015

Claims. (Cl. 131-454) This invention relates to apparatus for providing vents in cigarettes, cigars and the like and, more particularly, to providing an array of openings extending around the circumference of a cigarette, cigar or the like in the vicinity of the end thereof adjacent to the lips of the smoker through which air may be drawn when the cigarette or cigar or the like is being smoked. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 487,496 filed February ll, 1955, now abandoned.

In my copending patent application Serial No. 453,254, filed August 31, 1954, now abandoned, there is disclosed a cigarette construction embodying a circumferential arrangement of vents lying substantially on a radial plane and extending through the cigarette wrapper in the region thereof adjacent to the end held by the smoker. The application sets forth in considerable detail the benefits and advantages derived from this construction including the advantages resulting from restoring to the air drawn into the mouth of the smoker at least a substantial portion of the oxygen which has been consumed by the combustion of the tobacco and the wrapper, and cooling the smoke passing into the smokers mouth and also cooling the smoke before it passes into a filter if a filter is employed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide the simple apparatus of a type which may be conveniently carried in a smokers pocket or in a womans purse or in association with a package of cigarettes by means of which a circumferential array of vents may be provided in a cigarette or the like by the smoker prior to his smoking it.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in one form thereof a cigarette or cigar holder comprising means for providing vents in a cigarette or cigar held by and smoked in the holder.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is an elevation partly in section showing a cigarette holder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary showing of a modified form of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a side View of the apparatus shown in Fig- :ure 3.

In Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a cigarette holder incorporating the invention and including a retaining sleeve or barrel 70 having a flared upper end 74 terminating in an inturned portion 76 having a bore therethrough of sufficient diameter to permit the passage of a cigarette.

A receiver 72 is positioned within the retainer and an annular array of spring members 78 are positioned around the receiver and are provided with their upper :ends extending above or beyond the end of the receiver 72 and terminating in inwardly turned pointed end portions 80 adapted to pass through the Wrapper of a cigaice rette. The lower end portions of the springs 78, as viewed in Figure 10, are held in position against the receiver 72 by means of a band 82 extending circumferentially of the receiver. The band and the spring members may be soldered inposition to the receiver or aflixed thereon by other conventional means. The outside diameter of the band 82 is chosen to provide a sliding fit in the inside of the retainer 70. l

The lower end portion of the receiver 72 is provided with a threaded bore adapted to receive the upper end of the tube 84 having an internal bore 86. The lowermost end of the retainer 70 is provided with an inwardly turned flange 88 having a bore therethrough of a sufiicient diameter to permit the passage of the tube 84. The lowermost end of the tube 84 is threaded into a bit 90 provided with a passage 92 and having its lowermost end 94 formed to be conveniently engaged to the lips of a tainer 70 the spring ends will move out of the bores in the cigarette thus providing unobstructed openings therein for the passage of air into the cigarette while the cigarette is being smoked in the holder. The holder may be disassembled for cleaning to the extent of removing the receiver 72 and the spring members attached thereto out of the bore 77' in the turned-in upper end of the retainer which is of sufficient diameter to pass the receiver and spring assembly. It will be evident that this may be accomplished by unscrewing the bit 90 from the lowermost end of the tube 84 and pressing the tube upwardly in the retainer 70. The turned-in end portions of the spring members 78 will be cammed inwardly by the wall of the bore 77 as the receiver 72 is pressed upwardly in the retainer 70. I

In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 the projections 80 are substantially conical. In the arrange ment shown in Figures 3 and 4 the projections are modified in the form of pointed triangular blades 40. The advantage in this type of blade is that instead of piercing an open hole to provide a vent the blade will displace a flap of the wrapper of the smoking article such as, for example, the paper on a cigarette. This displaced flap will then act somewhat in the manner of the valve memher through which there will be admitted a small amount of air when the pressure dilferences across the flap are small such as will occur when the smoker is pufiing gently and when the pressure differences are relatively high such as when a smoker is pufiing more vigorously, the wrapper valve flap will be displaced and a greater amount of air will be drawn into the cigarette or cigar.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention provides a simple and practical means for producing an annular array of vents in the wrapper of a cigarette and that the various formations of the points 80 and various other modifications may be made to the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein without de parting from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder for a cigarette or like article comprising, a retainer, a receiver movable within said retainer and adapted to receive at least a portion of an article, means supporting an array of spaced projecting elements arranged externally of an article positioned within said receiver, said elements being normally positioned to permit the passage of an article into and out of said receiver, means acting in response to movement of said receiver within said retainer for moving said elements inwardly and into an article positioned within said receiver to produce perforations in the wrapper of the article, and means extending from said receiver and outwardly of said retainer by which said receiver and retainer may be held and having a bore communicating with said receiver through which an article positioned in said receiver may be smoked.

2. A holder for a cigarette or like article comprising, a retainer, a receiver movable within said retainer and adapted to receive at least a portion of an article, means supporting an array of spaced projecting elements ar ranged externally of an article positioned within said receiver, said elements being normally positioned to permit the passage of arr-article into and out of said receiver, means acting in response to movement of said receiver within said retainer for moving said elements inwardly and into an article positioned within said receiver to produce perforations in the wrapper of the article, and means extending from said receiver and outwardly of said retainer by which said receiver :andretainer may be held and having a bore communicating with said receiver through which an article positioned in said receiver may be smoked, said elements being formed to produce V-shaped cuts in the wrapper of an article.

3. A'holder for a cigarette or like article comprising, a retainer, an elongated receiver movable within said retainer and adapted to receive through one longitudinal end at least a portion of an article, means supporting an array of spaced projecting elements arranged externally of an article positioned within said receiver, said elements being normally positioned to permit the passage of an artiele into and out of said receiver, means acting in response to movement of said receiver within said retainer for moving said elements inwardly and into an article positioned within said receiver to produce perforations in the wrapper of the article, and means extending from the other longitudinal end of said receiver and outwardly of said retainer by which said receiver and retainer may be held and having a bore communicating with said receiver through which an article positioned in said receiver may be smoked.

4. A holder for a cigarette or like article comprising,

a retainer, a receiver movable within said retainer and adapted to receive at least a portion of an article, means supporting an array of spaced projecting elements arranged externally of an article positioned within said receiver and supported from said receiver, said elements being normally positioned to permit the passage of an article into and out of said receiver, means acting in response to movement of said receiver within said retainer for moving said elements inwardly and into an article positioned within said receiver to produce perforations in the wrapper of the article, and means extending from said receiver and outwardly of said retainer by which said receiver and retainer may be held and having a bore communicating with said receiver through which an article positioned in said receiver may be smoked.

5. Apparatus for providing vents in a cigarette or like article comprising a retainer, an elongated receiver movable within said retainer and adapted to receive through one longitudinal end at least a portion of an article, means supporting an array of spaced projecting elements arranged externally of an article positioned within said receiver, said elements being normally positioned to permit the passage of an article into and out of said receiver, means acting in response to movement of said receiver within said retainer for moving said elements inwardly and into an article positioned within said receiver to produce perforations in the wrapper of an article, and the other longitudinal end of said receiver being provided with means for the removable attachment of a bit through which an article positioned in said receiver may be smoked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 66,325 Guinand July 2, 1867 127,649 Sheehy June 4, 1872 223,020 Wight Dec. 30, 1879 1,167,184 Knuntila Jan. 4, 1916 2,263,567 Brown Nov. 25, 1941 2,694,399 Parker et a]. Nov. 16, 195-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,032 Germany Nov, 17, 1879 227,347 Germany Oct. 20, 1910 

